Fashion has always been an important part of the clothing industry, indeed from the dawn of time. Color, geometric patterns, texture, water and wind resistance, protective properties, and other utilitarian aspects all potentially being important features of a particular garment. Egotistical involvement with one's apparel is likewise associated with clothing especially those items which denote membership in a particular organization or are identified with a hobby. For example, specialized clothing associated with a particular recreational activity such as bicycling, skiing, hunting, dance and the like has recently enjoyed significant commercial success. Such clothing frequently includes relatively specialized materials such as Spandex.RTM. elastomeric fabric, Gore-Tex.RTM. insulative materials, specialized polymer foams as well as reflective materials and materials of high modulus fiber such as Kevlar.RTM. polyaramide.
New materials and fabrics having unique features are constantly being developed both to stimulate and meet consumer demand.